These Women Organised A Protest & Chanted Outside Of Harvey Weinstein’s Trial
MEKITA RIVAS 11 JANUARY 2020

CHILEAN WOMEN PROTEST RAPE CULTURE

Legal proceedings against Harvey Weinstein are now underway, and one group of women wanted to make it clear precisely what the disgraced film producer is standing trial for. On Friday, donning all black, protestors showed up at the New York City courthouse where Weinstein’s long-awaited criminal trial is taking place.

“It’s not my fault — not where I was, not how I dress,” the women chanted, as seen in video captured by Refinery29. “The rapist is you,” was another rallying cry.

The flash mob was inspired by feminist Chilean group LasTesis and was intended to show support for and allyship with the women who have come forward against Weinstein, in addition to the millions of sexual assault survivors across the world.

Based out of Valparaíso, Chile, LasTesis wrote the song “Un Violador en Tu Camino (A Rapist in Your Path)” that quickly became a protest song for anti-sexual assault demonstrations everywhere, from New York City to Mexico to France.

Weinstein faces five counts of predatory sexual assault, criminal sex acts, and rape. He could potentially receive a life sentence if convicted of the predatory sexual assault charges. It’s also legally significant because the prosecution would be able to establish a history of predatory behavior that goes beyond the two women in this specific case.

Before the trial began, prosecutors introduced a motion in a closed proceeding to include the testimony of three unnamed women who have accused Weinstein, which would be in addition to the two women named in the indictment.

That was a critical development because while the most recent count of Weinstein’s accusers totals more than 80, a majority of those claims fall outside the statute of limitations.

Several women have chosen to sue Weinstein in civil courts to possibly reach a settlement and to avoid the media scrutiny that tends to come from these high-profile criminal cases. In addition to the charges in New York, Weinstein is currently facing multiple sex crimes charges in Los Angeles.

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Women staged a flash protest outside the courthouse where Harvey Weinstein is being tried

By Ryan Prior, CNN "It's not my fault — not where I was, not how I dress," a female flash mob chanted outside a Manhattan criminal court on Friday.

Friday, January 10th 2020, 7:50 PM EST

By Ryan Prior, CNN

"It's not my fault — not where I was, not how I dress," a female flash mob chanted outside a Manhattan criminal court on Friday.

Inspired by protests against sexual violence that emerged last year in Chile, dozens of women, clad in black with glints of red, gathered outside the courthouse where former film producer Harvey Weinstein is being tried for allegedly raping a woman in 2013 and sexually assaulting another woman in 2006.

"And the rapist is you!" they chanted, before going on to point fingers at police, courts, judges and President Donald Trump for contributing to a culture in which sexual assault survivors feel their voices are don't matter.

Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to two counts of predatory sexual assault, two counts of rape and one count of a criminal sexual act. The trial is still in the jury selection phase.

'Un Violador en Tu Camino'

Friday's demonstration in New York was inspired by a Chilean protest chant that went viral around the world.

In Spanish, the chant is titled "Un Violador en Tu Camino," which translates to "A Rapist in Your Path."

Lastesis, an all-female art collective from Valparaso, Chile, posted videos on its Instagram page of massive groups of women chanting the protest anthem on Chilean streets in late November and early December.

When hundreds of women performed the chant in the streets of the Chilean capital of Santiago, it caught the eye of New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who tweeted in solidarity with the protesters.

At the New York courthouse on Friday, in choreographed motion to a driving drum beat, the women chanted in both English and Spanish.

Patriarchy is our judge that imprisons us at our birth

And our punishment is the violence you don't see

They repurposed the Chilean chant for an American audience, protesting the man whose alleged transgressions helped launch the #MeToo movement and an international reckoning about issues related to sexual assault.

"We're at this location today because it's very symbolic of everything that's happening in our justice system," said one of the protesters in a video interview obtained by CNN.

She goes on to say that "Harvey Weinstein and what he represents is so indicative of powerful men who feel like they can do anything that they want."

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Why the time to protest climate change is now

Scott Carbines January 11, 2020

All week, climate change protesters who planned on attending rallies across the country were demonised by authorities, commentators and other members of the public, but the time for action is now.

The horrendous, tragic and unprecedented bushfire crisis continues, with communities and emergency services facing more dangerous conditions the day that many protests were planned in capital and regional cities across the country.

Of course keeping people, animals and property safe and supporting those who need it most was, and is, the number one priority. That’s a given.

MORE OPINION: Scott Morrison is on a hiding to nothing over bushfires

Both the government and police said peaceful protests calling for urgent action on climate change, better funding of firefighters, and greater accountability from Scott Morrison should not go ahead.

In Victoria, North West Metro Region acting assistant commissioner Tim Hansen said the Melbourne rally planned for 6pm on Friday would deprive bushfire affected communities of police resources.

Climate Change protesters gathered in Melbourne following

 a catastrophic bushfire season. Picture: Ian Currie

“The timing of this protest probably could not be worse if we are serious about supporting the communities impacted by fire,” he said.

It’s the police and government who prioritise where to send their resources, though. And the truth is that they don’t want these protests anytime. Those before them have also been demonised.

It’s never the right time for a protest in the eyes of the establishment – especially when the masses are most angry and mobilised.


And as many pointed out on social media, neither the police or the state government asked people to stay at home on New Year’s Eve at the height of the crisis, cancel the cricket – or ask the casino to close, all of which required significant police resources, especially New Year’s celebrations in the city.

MORE OPINION: How good is Australia? Not good enough for a holiday, apparently

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews shared the same view as the police during the week, saying during an interview with 3AW, “I know the science stacks up, so I don’t disagree with them on a range of different points they’d make. But, I tell you what, you lose me and you lose a lot of other fair-minded Victorians who believe in climate change when you have a protest when you’ve been told point blank you are diverting police resources … That’s how you lose people who formerly were with you, who actually believe in climate science and believe that some of the challenges we face these days are because of climate change.”Information about police resources was mixed. Picture: Ian Currie

But on Friday – the day of the protests – it was reported that, in fact, no force members would be pulled back from the bushfires to police the protest.

Again, of course keeping people safe amid awful conditions is the priority. No one is saying it shouldn’t be. But “lose people”? “Jeopardise support”? Really?

Lose people from what? They will become climate change deniers?

Jeopardise support from whom? The public, for real action on climate change? The government? They won’t take proper action?

This is how we’ve found ourselves in this mess.

MORE OPINION: Social media has changed the way we see bushfires forever

Political journalist Barrie Cassidy tweeted a video of the comments with his own take: “Yes. The protesters’ hearts are in the right place but their heads are not. The timing of this is counter-productive and plays into the hands of those who criticise them. So why do it now?”

Because people are angry now.

Because the world is watching now.

Because we need action on climate change now.

Climate protesters took to the rainy streets of Melbourne on Friday. Picture: Ian Currie

The critics will always be there, no matter what, and authorities will always attack protests.

If they hadn’t demonised protesters in the past, maybe they’d listen. If they took the science seriously, maybe we wouldn’t be in this position.

A lot of decisions led up to these protests; those made by the powerful in this country.

Protests are all people have when elections couldn’t be much further away.

This one isn’t a choice.

Australia has become the apocalyptic global example of climate change and the catastrophic natural disasters we will continue to see with increased frequency and scale if drastic action isn’t taken.

MORE OPINION: Politicians have no place on the frontline of bushfires

It shouldn’t take multiple deaths, losing more than a billion animals – unknown numbers of which are now extinct or facing extinction, thousands of homes lost, and immeasurable trauma and devastation for society and its leaders to wake up and take this seriously. And it’s still not clear they will.

Authorities don’t want protests. They don’t want international attention and criticism. But this might be what it takes for the end of the world as we know it to finally be taken seriously. And that’s the fault of the powerful attacking the protests, not the everyday Australians who have had enough.

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PANSEXUALITY: WHAT DOES IT MEAN AND HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM BEING BISEXUAL?


Liberal Democrat politician Layla Moran reveals she is pansexual
Sabrina Barr
@fabsab5
Olivia Petter
@oliviapetter1
Friday 3 January 2020 

Liberal Democrat politician Layla Moran has become the first MP to come out as pansexual.

On 2 January, Moran tweeted about how the arrival of the new decade marked “a new path” in her life.

“Last year I fell in love with a wonderful woman. Something I’d never even considered before. Now I am just happy #Pansexual #OutAndProud,” she wrote on the social media platform.

In April 2018, singer Janelle Monáe revealed she identifies as pansexual in a candid Rolling Stone interview, having previously identified as bisexual.

The “Make Me Feel” singer explained she read into pansexuality and realised: “‘Oh, these are things that I identify with too’. I’m open to learning more about who I am.”

So what exactly is pansexuality? Here’s everything you need to know.
What is pansexuality?

In Greek, “pan” translates to “all” and therefore, the term “pansexual” can be understood as a sexual identity used to describe being attracted to people of all genders, beyond male-female parameters.

London Pride 2019: Best pictures by The Independent
Show all 60





This can include those who identify as transgender, non-binary, intersex and more.
When did the term become more widely used?

The term pansexual has been around for quite some time.

However, Google trends shows that the search term peaked in August 2015 after Miley Cyrus came out as pansexual in an interview with Elle UK.

The pop star’s vindication of the term thrust it into the pop culture zeitgeist, prompting fans to praise the singer for using her public platform to champion liberal ideologies.
How does it differ from bisexuality?

Watch moreBella Thorne comes out as pansexual in new interview

The terminology: bi meaning “two” and pan meaning “all”, suggests a clear difference between people who are attracted to two genders and those who are attracted to people of all gender identities.

In actual fact, bisexuality is applied to mean different things by different people. To some, bisexuality means to be sexually attracted to both men and women. But others see bisexuality as simply a way of describing those who are not exclusively sexually attracted to one specific gender, seeing it used interchangeably with the term pansexual.

“Both identities are valid,” explains The F-Word editor, Joanna Whitehead, “although more people tend to be familiar with the concept of bisexuality.” However, thanks to Monáe that could be about to change.

“Identity is important,” Whitehead says, adding that it’s crucial that those identifying as bisexual work to eradicate the stigma attached to it, something the journalist spoke about on an episode of The Independent‘s lifestyle podcast, Millennial Love.

Which celebrities identify as pansexual?

In addition to Thorne, Cyrus and Monáe, other celebrities who have described themselves as “pansexual” include singer Angel Haze, Christine and the Queens’ Héloïse Letissier and Kristen Stewart, who told Nylon that she does not conform to binary labels when it comes to defining sexuality.

“I think in three or four years, there are going to be a whole lot more people who don’t think it’s necessary to figure out if you’re gay or straight,” the actor said. “It’s like, just do your thing.”

“It’s great to see celebrities being open about their pansexual identities,” said Laurence Webb of the LGBT foundation.

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“We know that LGBT visibility has an effect on confidence and wellbeing in LGBT communities, and LGBT people of colour are especially underrepresented in mainstream culture,” he told The Independent, “so Monáe coming out is a significant moment for many LGBT people of colour as well as for all those who are questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity.

“It sends a message to everyone that says we can be proud of who we are.”

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'We want this': Hong Kong election tourists join Taiwan rallies

By Jerome TAYLOR, Yan ZHAO (AFP)

At a raucous election rally for Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen, Hong Konger Karen Leung surveyed the huge crowd of excited flag-waving voters as a rap song blasted over the loudspeakers and sighed: "We want to have elections like this."

Leung is one of scores of Hong Kong election tourists who have travelled to Taiwan this week to witness something denied to them -- universal suffrage.

Tsai, who is seeking a second term, has repeatedly invoked the seven months of pro-democracy protests engulfing the financial hub as a warning call for what might happen should Beijing succeed in its wish to one day take control of Taiwan.

Her opponent Han Kuo-yu of the Kuomintang party favours warmer ties with China, but has also promised to defend the island's freedoms.

In the days running up to Saturday's presidential and parliamentary elections, Hong Kongers have become an increasingly common sight at Tsai's rallies.

"I feel like there is hope here (in Taiwan)," Leung, a 26-year-old accountant, told AFP after getting a tote bag stamped with Hong Kong's pro-democracy protests slogans at a booth on the sidelines of Tsai's final rally on Friday night.

Hong Kong's democracy activists have long maintained 
close ties with Taipei   Jerome Taylor, AFP

"Taiwan has its freedom and they are standing up to China," she added.

Hong Kong's democracy activists have long maintained close ties with Taipei, an island that transitioned from decades of dictatorship into one of Asia's most liberal democracies.

But months of violent pro-democracy protests in the city has intensified Taiwanese interest -- as debate rages about how close to tack to its giant authoritarian neighbour.

The phrase "Today Hong Kong, tomorrow Taiwan" has become a popular slogan among supporters of Tsai's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

- Long struggle -
Kyle, a 26-year-old Hong Konger at Tsai's Friday night rally, said he took inspiration from how Taiwan shook off its own dictatorship under Kuomintang leader Chiang Kai-shek and also have resisted pressure from Beijing's communist leadership.

"The people of Taiwan bled and even sacrificed their lives until they had democracy," he said.

"In Hong Kong, we only have struggled for several years in fighting for democracy, so there is no reason for us to give up so quickly."

The island does not recognise the concept of asylum. But under Tsai's administration, officials have turned a blind eye to dozens of Hong Kongers who have fled there -- and Taiwanese supporters have also sent gas masks and helmets to protesters.

"The movement in the past year has brought Hong Kong and Taiwan closer," Ivy, a 36-year-old social worker who travelled from the city, told AFP.

"Taiwan has helped Hong Kong. They didn't drive away the Hong Kong youngsters who fled our city," she said at the Tsai rally.

A smattering of the financial hub's flag and pro-demonstration 
slogans have now become commonplace at Tsai Ing-wen's rallies
Sam Yeh, AFP

A smattering of the financial hub's flag and pro-demonstration slogans have now become commonplace at Tsai's rallies.

When Tsai appeared at a Thursday night rally, the crowd shouted the popular protest chant: "Free Hong Kong, revolution of our times."

Some Taiwanese have even dressed up as protesters from the restive city.

A 19-year-old, who gave his surname Lu, was greeting participants draped in a pro-democracy Hong Kong flag and wearing a yellow construction helmet -- a symbol of the city's protests -- and holding a placard urging young people to vote.

"I'm showing my support for the Hong Kong frontline protesters who are fighting the police," he said. "I am worried that what's happening in Hong Kong could happen in Taiwan."

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Tri-State to retire all coal-fired plants in Colorado, New Mexico

The Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association, Inc. Craig Station is located in Moffat County approximately 2.5 miles southwest of the town of Craig, Colorado. This facility is a coal-fired power plant with a total net electric generating capacity of 1264 MW, consisting of three units.

BY KAREN GRAHAM

Denver - Tri-State Generation & Transmission, which serves 43 electric associations in Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Nebraska, announced the closures of two coal-fired power plants and a coal mine in Colorado and New Mexico on Thursday.

In a statement released on January 9, Tri-State said the closures will result in a 100 percent reduction of coal emissions in Colorado and New Mexico while increasing Tri-State’s competitiveness with a cleaner portfolio, and stable rates.
Tri-State provides power from 13 coal and natural gas plants and nine wind and solar generating facilities to cooperatives serving 1.3 million customers in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Wyoming, according to The Gazette.
The G&T utility will close the Escalante Station coal plant near Prewitt, New Mexico by the end of 2020, and two units at the Craig Station plant in Craig, Colorado and its Colowyo Mine in northwest Colorado by 2030, according to Utility Dive.
The closures will affect about 600 employees and Tri-State says it plans to work with state and local officials to support them and their communities. "Tri-State will work with state and local officials to support affected employees and their communities during the transition. “Our focus is on making these changes with the care and respect our employees and their communities deserve – easing the transition whenever and wherever possible,” said Duane Highley, chief executive officer of Tri-State.


Colowyo Mine is one of two fuel suppliers to Tri-State’s Craig Station. The mining operation is located about 10 miles north of Meeker, Colo. – approximately 25 miles from the power plant. Colorado Department of Natural Resources

Pressure from Co-ops
Tri-State has been under pressure from many of its members and renewable energy advocates for its reliance on coal. However, it's really not clear if the closures will stop a rebellion among some of Tri-State's members who want lower rates and the ability to develop their own local renewable power.
Tri-State charges its 43 co-ops rates that are approximately 20 percent above average. And right now, according to Utility Dive, more than half of its energy comes from coal. The utility in July announced a Responsible Energy Plan, aimed at reducing carbon emissions.
Governor Jared Polis praised Tri-State during his State-of-the-State address Thursday night for helping to meet his goal of making the state free of fossil fuels by 2040, while also pledging help for affected communities. Once Tri-State closes its coal-fired power plants, there will only be six coal-fired plants left in Colorado.
“Just this morning, Tri-State and its members announced that they will be replacing their remaining coal power in the state with thousands of megawatts of cheaper and cleaner renewable energy sources by 2030, resulting in a 90 percent reduction in the utilities’ in-state greenhouse gas emissions,” Polis said.

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Michael Grandinetti talks plans for 2020 and digital age of magic SPECIAL

World-class magician Michael Grandinetti chatted with Digital Journal about his plans for 2020 and about being a magician in the digital age.

By Markos Papadatos 

He shared that he is really excited about what is ahead for 2020. "We are starting off with an eight-city tour, across the U.S. and Canada, which will run from February to the end of April, with more dates being added through the summer and into fall. We will be performing at casinos, theaters, with symphony orchestras, and for special events, and I can't wait for everyone to see some of the new magic and illusions we've been working on."
Grandinetti revealed his current tour schedule: Edmonton, Canada (February 14 to 16), Stockton, CA (February 23), Knoxville, TN (March 7), Hershey, PA (March 21), Detroit, MI (March 27 to 29), Saratoga Springs, NY (April 9), Nova Scotia, Canada (April 17 to 19), Uncasville, CT (April 24).
When asked about his New Year's resolutions, he said, "Every year, I try to take my magic to new places and to develop several new illusions for our show, and my aim is to always make each year better than the last. So, as this year starts, that’s definitely my driving force. I am always in pretty strong competition with myself. There are so many things that I want to do with my magic in the coming months, including additional touring and some new TV projects, and I always look forward to the possibilities that a new year represents."
Grandinetti appeared in Street Magic on PopStar. "I had such a great time filming that illusion for the show. We taped it right in the center of Hollywood Blvd, on the Walk of Fame, and I loved watching the expressions on people's faces as they stopped to watch the magic."
"Every time I perform a piece of magic for TV, I always try to give the home viewer an experience like they were there, watching live," he said. "So, we design the magic so that the camera can move all around us while we perform. That night, we had the audience watching from 360 degrees also and there were even people looking down at us, out of the windows of the buildings on the street. It was definitely a unique experience! I love that our TV appearances allow us to share our magic with so many people, all over the world."
On his career-defining moments, he said, "I've been fortunate to have had a pretty wide range of performing experiences over the years, from taking my magic to the center of stadiums for NFL halftime shows, to performing with live symphony orchestras, to levitating a girl over a float in the National Independence Day Parade in Washington DC, to performing at The White House for Easter."
"I always try to use every show as a learning experience, to continue growing and to find new ways to connect with audiences," he said. "If I had to pick one moment, I’d probably have to say my first national TV appearance, on NBC's 'The World's Most Dangerous Magic' TV special, when I was 21, had a great impact. On the show, I performed an original illusion that I designed, where I was chained to a steel frame, 6ft above the ground, between two walls of razor-sharp metal spikes that were set to spring towards me at 50 mph if I didn't escape in time. To make things even more dangerous, they lit the spikes on fire, and covered me in gasoline. It was quite a challenge, and definitely one I won't forget. That was the moment I fell in love with combining magic and television and it inspired and encouraged me to think big."
Grandinetti noted that it's a "very exciting time for magic" in the digital age. "Years ago, the only way someone could see magic would be if a rare touring show came to town, or if a magician happened to be performing at an event, or maybe if there was a bit of magic on TV."
He continued, "Now, more than ever, there are so many ways for audiences to be able to see magic and I love the fact that, through TV or all of the online avenues, and all of the ways content can be watched, I can create something that might give people a sense of amazement on the other side of the world. I've received some great notes, over the years, from people in Italy, Germany, Japan, and from all over, who have had a chance to see some of my work. And the perfect thing about magic is that it really is universal. Even without understanding the language, you can still watch and be amazed."
For young and aspiring magicians, he said, "One of the most important things to do is to read and study magic, as much as possible. I recommend reading, instead of watching other magicians on YouTube, for example, is that reading allows you to learn the magic and to put your own style and personality into it, rather than emulating the performer you might see on video."
"Another important thing is to go out and perform as much as possible, for family, for friends, and for anyone that you can," he said. "This will really help you to get comfortable. The more comfortable you become, the more you’ll enjoy performing and the more at ease you’ll be with your magic. Also, whether you want to be a magician or to follow any other career path, set goals for yourself. When I was just starting out as a kid, my goal was to always be a bit beyond what someone my age might be doing. That kept me constantly pushing forward with a purpose. To this day, I still set goals and it becomes a fun challenge to go after them. If you want to be a magician, or anything else, go for it."
On the title of the current chapter of his life, he said, "Always Working." "I think that about covers it," he said. "I love what I do and almost all of my time is spent either on the road, traveling and performing, or, when I’m not on the road, I’m always working on new magic and illusions, new show ideas, and new places to take my magic. I love being busy and I just wish there were more hours in the day, the time always goes by too fast."
For his supporters, he concluded, "To anyone that supports and enjoys what I do, I just want to say a very big thank you. I've been so fortunate to have had people really support my work over so many years and I'll always be extremely grateful for that. Nothing makes all the traveling and work more worth it than seeing an audience happy and I wake up every day excited to keep going. There's a lot more magic ahead."
To learn more about magician Michael Grandinetti, check out his official website.

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US World Cup star Rapinoe slams IOC 'no protest' policy

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By AFP     

United States World Cup icon Megan Rapinoe Friday vowed that athletes "will not be silenced" after the International Olympic Committee warned against political protests at the Tokyo Games.

"So much being done about the protests," Rapinoe said in an Instagram post. "So little being done about what we are protesting about.

"We will not be silenced."

Rapinoe's comments were accompanied by a graphic showing fists raised through the interlocking rings -- under the crossed out words "kneeling, hand gestures, signs."

The post comes after IOC chief Thomas Bach reiterated that athletes, coaches, trainers and officials are banned from political protests on the field of play, at the Olympic Village, during the opening and closing ceremonies and on the medal podium.

"If this political neutrality is not respected, then the Olympic Games will divide, and not unite, the world," Bach insisted.

The guidelines issued Thursday by the IOC on specific actions that are banned and will draw sanctions, come after two US athletes were reprimanded by the US Olympic Committee for medal podium protests at the Pan American Games in Lima.

Fencer Race Imboden kneeled and hammer thrower Gwen Berry raised a fist in protest. Both received 12 months probation.

Rapinoe has been outspoken on political issues during her career, speaking out about issues including gender equality and racism.

In 2016 she joined former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial inequality in America.

IOC details rules on political protests at Olympics
Athletes who break protest rules will face three rounds of disciplinary action.

A general view of Tokyo International Forum, a venue for weightlifting at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, is seen in Tokyo, January10, 2020. (Jae C. Hong / AP)

The International Olympic Committee published guidelines on Thursday specifying which types of athlete protests will not be allowed at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

No taking a knee at the Olympics. No hand gestures with political meaning. No disrespect at medal ceremonies.

Athletes are prohibited by the Olympic Charter's Rule 50 from taking a political stand in the field of play — like the raised fists by American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Mexico City Games.

Today’s Olympians now know more about which acts of “divisive disruption” will lead to disciplinary action in Tokyo. They can still express political opinions in official media settings or on social media accounts.

“We needed clarity and they wanted clarity on the rules,” said Kirsty Coventry, chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission, which oversaw the new three-page document. “The majority of athletes feel it is very important that we respect each other as athletes.”

Coventry, an Olympic gold medalist in swimming, is now Zimbabwe’s sports minister.

Athletes who break protest rules at the July 24-August 9 Tokyo Games face three rounds of disciplinary action — by the IOC, a sport’s governing body and a national Olympic body.

The new guidelines come after two American athletes were reprimanded by the US Olympic Committee for medal podium protests at the Pan-American Games in August in Lima, Peru. Fencer Race Imboden kneeled and hammer thrower Gwen Berry raised a fist in protest. Both were put on probation for 12 months, a period that covers the Tokyo Olympics.

Other protests in 2019 included swimmers from Australia and Britain refusing to join world championship gold medalist Sun Yang on the podium because the Chinese star has been implicated in doping violations.

A political gesture at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics went unpunished in the men’s marathon. Silver medalist Feyisa Lilesa crossed his wrists at the finish line to show support with freedom-seeking protesters in his home region of Ethiopia.

“It is a fundamental principle that sport is neutral and must be separate from political, religious or any other type of interference,” the IOC document states, urging “the focus for the field of play and related ceremonies must be on celebrating athletes’ performance.”

"Open door policy”

A meeting on Thursday between the IOC executive board and athletes' panel also discussed the charter's Rule 40, which strictly limits athletes' abilities to promote their sponsors during official Olympic Games periods.

German athletes working outside the IOC system won concessions last year in a ruling that has led to Olympic bodies in the United States, Australia and Canada to offer a better deal to their athletes.

In the German case, a federal cartel agency sided against the IOC's argument that retaining exclusive rights for its top-tier sponsors protected the value of deals that help fund sports and athletes globally. Still, Coventry said the IOC panel had “an open door policy” and welcomed approaches from independent athlete groups who wanted to challenge the system.

Separately, IOC President Thomas Bach declined to comment on the whereabouts of a historic Olympic document that sold for $8.8 million at auction in New York a month ago. The IOC is expected to try to ensure it is displayed at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne.

“At this moment at least we have not enough solid information which we could share,” Bach said at a news conference.

The 14-page document is the 1892 manifesto written by French aristocrat Pierre de Coubertin to launch the modern Olympics.
Source: AP

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Iran's sole female Olympic medallist defects
BY AFP

Iran's only female Olympic medallist Kimia Alizadeh announced Saturday she has permanently left her country, citing the "hypocrisy" of a system she claims humiliates athletes while using them for political ends.

"Should I start with hello, goodbye, or condolences?" she wrote on Instagram, as Iran reeled from Wednesday's accidental shooting down of a Ukrainian airliner that killed all 176 people onboard.

Alizadeh, who won a bronze medal in taekwondo at the 2016 Rio Olympics, cited oppression by authorities in the Islamic republic.

Criticising Iran's political system for "hypocrisy", "lying", "injustice" and "flattery", she said she wanted nothing more than "taekwondo, security and a happy and healthy life".

"I am one of the millions of oppressed women in Iran with whom they have been playing for years," the 21-year-old wrote.

"I wore whatever they told me to wear," she said, referring to the Islamic veil, which is compulsory for all women in public in Iran.

"I repeated everything they told me to say," she wrote.

She continued: "None of us matter to them."

"No one invited me to Europe," she wrote, without saying where she was.

On Thursday, news of Alizadeh's disappearance shocked the country.

Iranian parliamentarian Abdolkarim Hosseinzadeh had demanded answers, accusing "incompetent officials" of allowing Iran's "human capital to flee" the country.

The semi-official ISNA news agency carried a report on Thursday saying: "Shock for Iran's taekwondo. Kimia Alizadeh has emigrated to The Netherlands."

ISNA wrote that it believed that Alizadeh, who is reportedly training in The Netherlands, is hoping to compete at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics but not under the Iranian flag.

Without saying anything of her plans, Alizadeh assured the "dear Iranian people" that she would remain "a child of Iran wherever" she is.

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Brazil's govt to propose oil exploration on indigenous land: media

BY AFP

Brazil's government will propose legalizing oil and gas exploration as well as hydroelectric dam construction on indigenous land, a report said Saturday, citing a draft of a bill to be sent to Congress.

Opening up protected native territory was a key campaign pledge for President Jair Bolsonaro, but activists blame economic activity for an uptick in violence and increased deforestation.

The Amazon rainforest, where many of Brazil's indigenous tribes live, is rich in minerals including gold, copper, tantalum, iron ore, nickel and manganese.

The draft bill also allows indigenous people to "conduct economic activities" on their land, including agriculture, raising livestock and tourism, O Globo said.

While affected communities would be consulted on development projects, they would not have the power to veto them, it added. They would, however, receive financial compensation.

A government spokesman told AFP the proposal "is still being studied and has not been finalized."

It comes after Mines and Energy Minister Bento Albuquerque met with more than a dozen European diplomats to defend the government's plans for mining in indigenous territories that have been criticized in Brazil and abroad.

Albuquerque told the meeting, which included representatives from France and Germany, that leaders of many indigenous communities had called on the government to allow mining on their land, according to a statement posted on the ministry's website Friday.

However, many indigenous leaders have been vocal in their opposition to the government's plans.

Prominent tribal chiefs, including Raoni Metuktire, have toured Europe to defend their territories from deforestation and development.

Bolsonaro has long railed against the protected indigenous areas in the Amazon, which he says are a threat to the country's sovereignty.

He claims other countries are encouraging the expansion of protected areas in a bid to take over Brazilian land.

Bolsonaro faced a firestorm of criticism last year after blazes ravaged swaths of the Amazon.

The number of fires in the rainforest in northern Brazil rose 30 percent to 89,178 in 2019, compared with the previous year, the latest official data show.

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Huawei exec can be extradited to US, Canada attorney general says

Canada's Department of Justice said a Huawei executive arrested in Vancouver could be extradited to the United States, because her offense is a crime in both countries, according to documents released Friday.

Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou, who was originally detained on a US warrant in late 2018, faces an extradition hearing in Vancouver that begins on January 20.

The United States accuses Meng of lying to banks about violating Iran sanctions.

However Meng's lawyers maintain that she cannot be turned over to the United States, because in order for that to happen, her offense would have to meet a "double criminality" standard -- meaning it is a crime in both countries.

Violating US sanctions against Iran, they say, is not a crime in Canada.

However in the documents filed in Vancouver Friday, which were widely cited by media, Canada's attorney general said the "essence" of her banking interactions amounted to fraud, which is a crime in the country.

The first week of Meng's extradition hearing will be devoted to the question of double criminality.

Meng, who lives under house arrest at her mansion in Vancouver, denies the US allegations and says Canadian authorities violated her rights during the arrest.

Her detention at the Vancouver airport in December 2018 caused an unprecedented diplomatic rift between Canada and China, which demands her release.

Just nine days later China detained former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor, whom it accuses of espionage.

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